The
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is concerned over closing the
offices of al-Arabiya Satellite Channel, Ma'an News Agency and Lines Media Company
upon a decision issued by the Attorney General in Gaza. PCHR calls upon the Attorney
General to reconsider this decision and respect the right to freedom of opinion
and expression and press freedoms that are guaranteed under the Palestinian
Basic Law and international human rights standards.

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 16:30 on Thursday, 25
July 2013, 6 members of the General Investigation Service (GIS) in civilian
clothes arrived to the office of MBC group, which includes the office of al-Arabiya
Channel, on the 12th floor of al-Shorouq building in the west of
Gaza City. The GIS members showed a decision issued by the Attorney General in
Gaza, Isma'il Jaber, to temporarily close the office of al-Arabiya Channel and
seize its contents. At approximately 16:40 of the same day, other GIS members
headed to the office of Ma'an News Agency on the 6th floor of Shawwa
and Husari building in the west of Gaza City. They informed the staff of the Attorney
General’s decision to close the office and seize its contents.

In
the evening, the Ministry of Information in Gaza published a press release
issued by the Attorney General.[1]
The press release stated the Attorney Aeneral in Gaza had issued a decision to
close the offices of al-Arabiya Satellite Channel and Ma'an News Agency in
Gaza. According to the press release also, "This decision was issued
because these 2 media offices had published fabricated news, rumors and
inaccurate information that posed a threat to civil peace and negatively
affected the Palestinian people and resistance." Moreover, the
Governmental Media Office stated that it filed an official complaint against
Ma'an News Agency because it published a
news item claiming that leaders from the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt had
sneaked into Gaza, which was attributed to an unnamed "Israeli"
source.

Moreover,
the Ministry of Information in Gaza declared on its website that it questioned
the director of Ma'an News Agency’s office in Gaza about the agency's news:[2]
"The Ministry of Information asked the director of Ma'an News Agency’s
office in the Gaza Strip about a fake news item published by the agency,
claiming that leaders from the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt sneaked into the
Gaza Strip and were staying in a hotel in Gaza City. The agency attributed this
piece of news to unknown Israeli sources. The Ministry pointed out that this
news item was untrue and depended on Israeli sources. It also stressed that
Ma'an News Agency insisted to engage the Gaza Strip in the Egyptian crisis and
promote the Egyptian incitement against the Gaza Strip."

Hamas
issued a press release through different media, calling upon the legal
authorities and officials in the government of Gaza to take the necessary legal
action against this agency and whoever incites violence and hatred against
Palestinians.

In
the same context, the Attorney General issued a decision to close Lines Media Company.
According to the Attorney General’s statement, the decision was issued was
based on a decision issued by the Council of Ministers in Gaza to prevent
communication with media agencies that cooperate with the Israeli authorities,
pointing out that the company had communicated with the Israeli
"124NEWS" satellite channel.

In light
of the above, PCHR asserts the following:

1- The right to freedom of opinion and expression is guaranteed
under article 19 of the Palestinian Basic Law and under international human
rights standards;

2- The Palestinian Basic Law denies any form of monitoring, ban or
warning or the imposition of restrictions over the media unless by a judicial
decision in conformity with article (27-3) of the same Law;

3- With our reservation on the Press and Publications Law of 1995, it entitles courts only to
consider all violations of the law and oblige media agencies to announce their
sources of information; and

4- Closing the offices upon a decision by the Attorney General, in
light of the technological development and information revolution, will not
stop the information flow to people in Gaza or anywhere and will not undermine
the messages sent by such channels.

Therefore,
PCHR:

1- Calls upon the Attorney General in Gaza to reconsider his
decisions and re-open the offices of al-Arabiya Channel, Ma'an News Agency and
Lines Media Company; and

2- Calls upon the government in Gaza to respect the right to
freedom of opinion and expression and press freedoms that are guaranteed under the
Palestinian Basic Law and international human right standards.

- IN FOCUS

Your are currently browsing this site with Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

Your current web browser must be updated to version 7 of Internet Explorer (IE7) to take advantage of all of template's capabilities.

Why should I upgrade to Internet Explorer 7? Microsoft has redesigned Internet Explorer from the ground up, with better security, new capabilities, and a whole new interface. Many changes resulted from the feedback of millions of users who tested prerelease versions of the new browser.
The most compelling reason to upgrade is the improved security. The Internet of today is not the Internet of five years ago. There are dangers that simply didn't exist back in 2001, when Internet Explorer 6 was released to the world. Internet Explorer 7 makes surfing the web fundamentally safer by offering greater protection against viruses, spyware, and other online risks.

Get free downloads for Internet Explorer 7, including recommended updates as they become available. To download Internet Explorer 7 in the language of your choice, please visit the Internet Explorer 7 worldwide page.